Ed Orgeron’s distinctive voice and drawl have not just set him apart. In a light-hearted conversation, Urban Meyer, a former football coach, revealed how he hung onto Coach O’s every word.

“Oh, yeah. That's uh, you have to, you have to lock in. It's one of those things he's talking. Okay. Now, what did he just say? But he fits in, man; he's where he needs to be. He is, as they say, home,” Meyer told FOX Sports’ Rob Stone in an X post shared by The Triple Opinion.

Meyer and Orgeron, a Louisiana native, go a long way back. The two are more than just former colleagues; they are also close friends. While Meyer, who last coached Ohio State, retired after the 2018 season, Orgeron just returned from his brief hiatus. 

Orgeron has returned to LSU as a recruiter under new head coach Lane Kiffin. Previously, he served as an interim coach for the program in 2016 after Les Miles was fired. Next came Orgeron’s most successful years as a coach.

He led the Tigers to two Citrus Bowls and one Fiesta Bowl appearance. In 2019, the Tigers played an undefeated 15-0 season, which culminated in appearances in the Peach Bowl and the CFP National Championship.

Coach O served as their head coach until 2021. Apart from praising his coaching career, Meyer also highlighted Orgeron’s recruiting skills and personality.

“I’ve known Coach O forever. And I use the term often: certified nut job is what he is. I mean, he rips his shirt off…And then he was one of the great recruiters for many, many years. I recruited against him, coached against him. So, this is a no-brainer,” he said in the podcast’s May 26 episode.

From speaking to the Los Angeles mayor in a long process to win Adrian Peterson, ensuring Joe Burrow had his favorite crawfish, to taking a janitor’s help to locate Fred Davis’ papers for admission, Coach O left no stone unturned to land a prospect. 

His return to college football after five years has sparked discussion on the effect he will have on LSU.

Analyst Praises Lane Kiffin’s Move Of Hiring Ed Orgeron

LSU offered Ed Orgeron a $100,000 for eight months contract. Recently, Pete Thamel weighed in on this development against NCAA rules.

In his appearance in an episode of the “College GameDay Podcast,” Thamel praised LSU head Lane Kiffin’s move to hire Orgeron.

“The Coach O hire to me is very wise because he can go recruit. The recruiting rules have changed. You still only put your 9-10 position coaches on the road,” the analyst said. 

Thamel was addressing the recent shift in NCAA governance over support staff. The previous restrictions on off-field analysts and special assistants from hands-on instruction and off-campus recruiting trips are no longer followed. 

With Orgeron’s return, the 2026 season has gotten more interesting. Do you have a favorite Coach O moment? Tell us in the comments.

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Written by

Akanksha Biradar